caulfield12

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Oct 4, 2012 -> 10:43 AM) Scoring 713 at the Oakland Colosseum is a far better offensive performance than scoring 748 at US Cellular Field. Most importantly, Oakland had better starting pitching, and a MUCH better bullpen, especially the 2nd half of the season.

QUOTE (kitekrazy @ Oct 4, 2012 -> 09:22 PM) Worst collapse this season belongs to the Rangers. If they lose in the WC game, sure. But look at 2006, the Twins chased down the Tigers and the Tigers "collapsed" down the stretch, except the Tigers were the ones in the end close to winning the World Series if not for all those errors. Do you think any Tigers' fan looking back on 2006 cares they didn't win the AL Central? Or that Twins fans, having watched their team decimate baseball for 2 1/2 months, feels satisfied how that season ended in the playoffs for them? If the Rangers advance and finally win the World Series, none of their fans will care at all. In fact, it will add to the legend, like the Red Sox coming from way back against the Yankees. It would make a World Series win all the sweeter...just like how in 2005, we very nearly didn't make it, then ended up winning it all. None of us will forget that feeling of dread and forboding in September...which made the elation of winning it all that much more poignant and memorable, to go through the highs and lows of that entire season.

QUOTE (2nd_city_saint787 @ Oct 4, 2012 -> 09:45 PM) This How does Tank/Q/Jones or Reed sound as a package sound? They don't need more starting pitching, Clayton Richard has proven that almost anyone can have success in the NL West as a starter, especially with half the home games at PetCo. Heck, you can add Eric Stults to that list, too. That makes the trade essentially a reliever (also not the first piece you add in a rebuilding effort) and Viciedo for Headley. If Viciedo could play 3B, it would be a no-brainer for the Padres. Unfortunately, he can't. Denorfia and Venable both put up better numbers than Viciedo...then they have Quentin and Maybin (signed an extension). Reed's value is far from clear...maybe more than Santos, simply because of his contract status. But anyone who watched the last four months or scouted the White Sox would have serious qualms about bringing in Reed. The main plus would be bringing him "back home" since he played for SD State. Headley had a monster year. He's getting more expensive, but you simply don't trade a player like that if you want to retain your fanbase. I'll agree Viciedo has a LOT more upside than either Denorfia or Venable, but it wouldn't be worth Headley to get that upside...because there are so few slugging 3B in MLB today. As far as Peavy goes, we need players who are not afraid of the Tigers, like Jose Quintana. No thanks, he had a VERY good 2012, but that's where it ends. A pat on the back for putting himself in a position to finally contribute like he was expected to way back in 2009, but he's not enough to put us over the top in 2013...3B should be more of a priority, especially since they can bring back Floyd. And Jake had a ton of wear and tear on him this year.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 4, 2012 -> 02:38 PM) Outside of resigning Peavy we are not signing another starting pitcher. Or Floyd (although technically that's exercising an option, not a signing). But I wouldn't be so sure about keeping Gavin when they've gotten "very reasonable" production out of Quintana and Santiago on the cheap. Of course, the problem is the left-handedness of that rotation...the main mitigating factor forcing Gavin back into the rotation. And the fact that while they were quite fortunate with Quintana's development, it doesn't automatically mean the same thing would happen were they to stick Axelrod, Rienzo, Castro or Molina out there in the rotation as well for 2013. If they let Peavy AND Floyd both go, they're definitely going to have to sign someone like a Liriano, Guthrie, Haren, etc.

It's reminiscent of Billy Packer/Vitale with the NCAA's or Pat Summerall/Ken Venturi with golf. Eventually, at some point, you need to move on with a younger broadcaster who will attract a different demographic of fans and try something new and fresh. Let's think of Stone as Jim Nantz or Bryant Gumbel here, for argument's sake.

QUOTE (fathom @ Oct 4, 2012 -> 10:15 AM) ADA was a diamond in the rough Carlos Quentin, AJ, Jermaine Dye, Jim Thome (considering he was coming off a major injury), Alexei Ramirez certainly qualifies...Viciedo, to a lesser extent. Even Wise, Flowers and Johnson the final 2 months this year. It's just that we didn't get what we needed out of Konerko, Dunn, Liriano, Peavy...the list goes on and on for the final 4-6 week disappearing act. Alexei and Dayan both struggled quite a bit down the stretch. AJ. Rios was one of our few consistent threats. YOUK against the Tigers or on the road was a disaster. Everyone knows the Beckham story, second verse, same as the first.

That's the furthest Gimenez has ever hit a ball. He makes Corky Miller look like Ichiro. Great defender, though.

Another ex-Royal strikes again, lol. Bailey for Reddick one of the worst offseason moves in recent years.

Cincy over STL is putting the Dodgers back in play...but they need 2 wins and 2 Cardinals losses. Would be a crazy ending for the Cardinals after last season's charge, but the Dodgers haven't shown themselves capable of sustaining anything since the first 2 months of the year.

QUOTE (flavum @ Oct 2, 2012 -> 07:54 PM) They should just call off the vote, and let Showalter and Melvin split it. How can you pick one over the other? It was like that BS in 2005 when Shapiro won Executive of the Year over KW. How can you pick the 2nd place team there that didn't even make the playoffs and collapsed the final week?

Same thing with AL West, which would be even more amazing. Who do you go with, Showalter or Melvin? Both were totally improbable playoff teams. Which team had the highest LV odds at the beginning of the year?

QUOTE (fathom @ Oct 2, 2012 -> 07:40 PM) To save him for a save situation tonight? I can't wait to hear this whole offseason has Viciedo's overall numbers are skewed by the final week of games where the stats became meaningless except for the back of the baseball card. 24 and 77, that's not too far off most projections, problems against RHP notwithstanding. Maybe some were calling for 30 and 90 RBI's, but that was a bit too optimistic. LOL at the Royals finally taking the lead over DET after losing 5 in a row to them.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Oct 2, 2012 -> 07:36 PM) With anything somewhat resembling offensive support and Peavy would have 16+ wins this year. 3 runs in 8 innings is a QS last I checked. An ERA under 3.40 on the season is pretty damn good in the AL. The guy hasn't pitched a full season in who knows how many years and here he is in October throwing another QS. But when we've needed him not to give up the lead, or give up 1-2 runs instead of 3, he just hasn't gotten it done. Consistently in the 2nd half, and always against the Tigers. Golf clap, to quote Marty, but don't let the door hit you on the way out. Down the stretch, when we need him to be the ace and take some of the pressure of Chris Sale, he hasn't delivered.

QUOTE (fathom @ Oct 2, 2012 -> 07:37 PM) Huh? Not a closing situation Why do we care at all what Myers does here? Unless they just want to rest Reed and get him to the offseason.

Alexei way too lackadaisical on that one. Had to be more aggressive there and charge it.

51 saves for Johnson. So Reed's out of the picture as closer in 2013? His confidence couldn't be any lower going into the offseason.

Saw the score and thought it was Reed that blew, only to find out it was Jake-meister. Figures. Right now, 2nd's locked up and 84 wins is going to put us in better draft position probably... Didn't realize Johnson had 50 saves already. He and Rodney are having quite the seasons in that AL East. With how bad the AL Central has been this season, you wonder if the Tigers can just turn it on when they face some tougher competition. Verlander will be fine, but you don't know about Scherzer's health.

I really believe the Sox are content with 25,000 and slightly more profit rather than 28-30,000 per game and posting any bottom-line numbers due to decreased prices for parking/tickets/concessions that are less than what they're currently getting at 25K per game. The problem with losing out on those 5,000 fans per game is that you're not developing the fanbase for the future...you're maximizing (or squeezing) the revenue in current terms, but probably "penny wise/pound foolish" long term IMO.

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Oct 2, 2012 -> 07:18 PM) Was the HBP intentional? Probably, he should have been warned after the first one. Ventura and Harrelson and Cooper probably don't have the energy to argue anymore about umpiring in 2012.

QUOTE (fathom @ Oct 2, 2012 -> 07:14 PM) It's not like they hit the ball well tonight. Indians also aren't trying at all this series since they know they can't play spoiler. Just wait until Reed comes in, lol. The only game worth watching now is NY/BOS or Balt/TB. Rooting hard for the Yankees to lose 2 in a row, but unlikely with Dice-K vs. Kuroda tmrw.

Saw the replay, 94 MPH fastball out over the heart of the plate. That was a good 430 or 440, maybe 450. A blast, in this September weather.

And that's why you can't trade Viciedo for anything less than a premium return, which you won't get for all the reasons a certain poster (and many others with his splits against righties vs. lefties) has outlined 516 times. You have to stick with him for next year, and play him everyday. Otherwise, he's not worth anything to the Sox, really.

QUOTE (Cali @ Oct 2, 2012 -> 05:24 PM) s*** this is true nationally too. Can you think of one team that gets less national attention than the Sox? Even the Pirates and Orioles get more attention for their past successes and Hall of Fame players. Maybe the Blue Jays? Royals? The list is small. Royals, Indians and Twins (maybe Mauer makes them equal)...Padres, A's, Pirates, Orioles, Mariners, Blue Jays, Rays, Lastros, Pirates, probably the Brewers (although Braun also cancels that out a bit), Reds, DBacks, etc. We're realistically probably somewhere between 14th and 18th. Our ratings are up for tv broadcasts, we have the international popularity of our hats and merchandise, Obama's fandom (lol), the Chicago media market, our franchise value somewhere in the 7-8-9-10 range out of all MLB teams... No more Ozzie Guillen, lol, plain vanilla Ventura. Does anyone really miss that circus or think it did anything but help attendance this year? Last year was just terrible in terms of watching the team on a daily basis. Until September, this was a much more enjoyable/pleasurable experience.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Oct 2, 2012 -> 06:04 PM) You can't magically create players in those positions. Who would you sign? Youkilis is the only thing resembling a decent 3B available in FA. AJ is the best FA C. You're joking if you think we should spend money on a UTIL or RP instead of a frontline starter. If anything, we should be cutting payroll in the form of Thornton, not adding. Crain's not tradeable until he proves he can stay 100% healthy for at least a 3-4 month stretch.

QUOTE (2nd_city_saint787 @ Oct 2, 2012 -> 04:32 PM) The man nearly has 100 RBIs and is 3rd in HR, most any team would like to have him....We knew all along that he was gonna K a lot and wasn't gonna have a high BA yet most here loved the signing when it happened. How do you plan on replacing close to 100 RBIs?? There are only 15 guys in the MLB with more. I'm guessing the argument will be the Moneyball approach....except with better platoon candidates than Kotsay and Jones. For example, trading Dunn, getting a new CFer, moving DeAzo to LF and a DH platoon of Dayan and ????. The problem is that I'm not sure that Viciedo will continue to 1) develop and 2) rake against LHP if he's only getting playing time once every 3-4 games. So let's just argue for our current roster's sake it would be Wise or Dan Johnson paired with Dayan. Then Dunn's money would be reinvested in 3B, C, pitching, CF, etc. You'd also improve the outfield defense by quite a bit, essentially having 3 CFer's out there.